Makarios III

Makarios III (13 August 1913-3 August 1977) was the Archbishop of Cyprus from 18 September 1950 to 3 August 1977, succeeding Makarios II and preceding Chrysostomos I, and President of Cyprus from 16 August 1960 to 15 July 1974 (preceding Nikos Sampson) and from 7 December 1974 to 3 August 1977 (succeeding Glafcos Clerides and preceding Spyros Kyprianou). In his three terms, he survived four assassinations and a coup, and he is regarded by Greek Cypriots as "Father of the Nation".

Biography
Mihail Christodoulou Mouskos was born in Paphos, Cyprus on 13 August 1913, the son of a peasant, and he became a novice monk. After studying in Athens and in the United States, however, he decided to become a priest. He was ordained in 1946 and became a bishop in 1948. As Archbishop of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, he was the leading figure to propagate Enosis, union with Greece. He cooperated with EOKA in its desire to rid the island of its British occupation, and he was deported to the Sychelles in 1956. as leader of the Greek Cypriot community, he accepted the British offer of independence within the Commonwealth, instead of union with Greece. For this he was opposed by his former allies, EOKA, during his presidency. The latter instigated a coup against him, in conjunction with the Regime of the Colonels. He was forced into exile, but when the coup failed owing to the Turkish invasion of parts of the island, he returned to hold office until his death.